(15 Dec 2013, 8:56 pm)andreos1 wrote Is it about enthusiasts giving a toss or the ordinary passenger?
Who benefitted during the celebrations this year?
A business needs to keep an identity that is recognised and established.
Constantly changing names, brands, routes, numbers and colours doesn't do that (particularly in Sunderland).
Northern has been established 100 years, Go North East as a brand about 15? (give or take).
The brands on individual services, 6 or 7 years since they were introduced - with regular updates, changes and temporary ones since, which have all incurred extra cost.
Having one modern vehicle showing that despite all of the marketing, that the company is proud of its history, heritage and routes - is certainly worth keeping, from a business perspective more than anything else.
What does 8319 do from a business perspective, what does it bring to the table in terms of revenue or passenger growth - I would think very little.
Like you say the brands are changed or refreshed (normally every 5 years), so I see little benefit for keeping it in its present livery to be honest.